no chance to practice growing old
no chance to show me how
no chance to catch the biggest fish.
You left too soon:
never saw your grandchildren
never hunted caribou in Alaska
never watched your son become a man.
You left too soon:
missed my wedding
missed your 60th birthday
missed my graduate degree.
You left too soon:
to bite into a hot enchilada
to replace 5 o’clock martinis with naps
and appreciate them more.
You left too soon:
to feel the rush of time
to marvel at the pull of change.
Yes, you left too soon.
but now that I’m 70
I know what you missed
and I will live it for you.
(For more poetry by Carlene Tejada and “Blue Pearls” go to www.totalrecallpress.com or www.amazon.com)
